Helping A Stranger
by g3nesis1
Summary: Tahmi has always helped those in need, even if they had done something wrong, against the law. She helped everyone, no matter who they were. But one day, the law came looking for her and for the rest of them. Err.. please r and R. also writing this with a
1. Chapter 1

Tahmi sighed and looked to the rising Sun. It was beautiful, the clouds morphing into bright, beautiful colors. The pinks, the purples, the oranges… It was gorgeous. She stood, her black hair falling from the bun, to her shoulders. Her bright blue eyes scanning over the wooden floor underneath her feet as she walked through the hallway.

It was quiet, she loved it that way. She walked into one of the rooms of her dojo and smiled. One of the newcomers, Elijah, had come in yesterday. He was very sick, and injured from a previous battle with the police. He didn't seem like a bad guy, so she helped him like she would everyone else. She didn't know what he did, but she hoped everything would work out for the best.

Elijah was sleeping, the blanket wrapped around his beaten body. He looked better than yesterday; maybe rest was all he needed. She took only a step into the room, when his eyes were wide open and he was sitting up, his eyes wide and alarming.

Tahmi looked to him with a comforting smile. "It's alright, Eli. I patched you up, and you're all better now." She smiled.

Elijah looked to her and raked his finger through his white hair. "Oh, yes. Thank you, Miss. I appreciate it, very much. I don't know what I would do without you. How could I ever repay you?"

Tahmi smiled and sat down beside him. "Just be the best person you can possibly be. Whatever trouble you're in… Just know things will work out for the best." She wasn't going to ask how he had gotten injured, or why he was running from the police. It was best to not ask any questions. Curiosity always killed the cat. Just as long as they were not violent towards her, she would always help them. Tahmi stood and started to walk out of his room.

"Thank you, again. Miss, I will be leaving as soon as possible, though. I do not wish to put you in any danger."

She laughed. "Sir…? I do this for a living. I am always in danger." She smiled. "Alright, but come back if you ever need anything… Alright?"

Elijah smiled. "Alright," he said, pushing himself up from the warm comforts of the bed. He pulled on his shirt and grabbed his katana. "Goodbye, Miss Tahmi. I hope we meet again… Well, not that soon." He smiled, and walked from the dojo.

Tahmi smiled and continued down the hall, continuing to check up on the others. Most of them just needed rest for the night, and all left during the morning. There was only a few left, and one of them she was a bit worried about. He had been there for days, worrying about the police. She suspected that maybe he had killed someone, maybe a cop. She was getting antsy about getting him out. She didn't like murderers. It was the only people she refused to help. She always believed in 'a life for a life,' for it was the way she was taught.

She hesitantly approached his closed door. "Allo..." She said, knocking on the door. "Come on… It's time to wake up." It was silent, maybe he had left. Maybe, not. She put her hand to the knob, but jumped hearing a heavy knock at the door.

"OPEN UP! IT'S THE POLICE!" The Sergeant yelled.

She backed away from the door, and sighed. "Oh, no."

Allo's door was ripped open and she was thrown against the wall. "You bitch! You brought them here, didn't you? You told them I was here! Bitch!" He grabbed his knife and thrust it towards her chest, just as she was looking up.

She moved out of the way, but not completely. Her shoulder was struck, the blade ripping through her flesh. She fell to the floor as Allo ran from the police, which were trying to break the door down.

She ripped the dagger from her shoulder, never screaming once. She pushed herself up, holding her bleeding shoulder. "Damn it." She cursed, and rushed out the back door, same as the others. They had all escaped before the police had come. They were smart, but they were obviously ungrateful, for not telling her the information. They didn't care. She fell to the ground, rushing outside.

Many of the villagers were running from gunfire and the hordes of police. Some of them were being shot and killed out of panic. Her eyes shot to a crying girl, behind one of the dojo's.

"Daddy!" She cried, reaching out for a limp body of a man. Tahmi could already tell he was dead by the great puddle of blood underneath of him. She looked to the young girl, taking her hand off her own injured shoulder. The girl was bleeding from her lip and from her temple.

"Shh… Shh… It's okay." She told her, picking her up in her arms. She was like a feather, light as air. She raced from the village, knowing that the police would probably kill her on spot. She had helped their enemy, their prey. And she would become the hunted.

She ran towards the closest village, looking behind her seeing a group of troops after her and the young girl. They had found her and they would never give up, until they got her. She turned her attention back to in front of her, her black hair rippling behind her. She left a blood trail, which was slowly getting thicker. The village was up ahead, so many people out already. She dodged through the many people, yelling and cursing at her bumping into them.

Her heart was racing, almost jumping straight out of her chest. Her breathing was rapid and shortening as pressure was building up on her chest. She still held the girl tightly, turning around to see how far she was in front of the soldiers. Her eyes widened, seeing that they were closer this time. She let out a small sigh and turned around, running again. "Get out of my way!" She yelled to the people, hoping they would clear a path. "Get out of the way!" She yelled again, starting to get weaker, the blood trickling down the front of her. She was like a wounded animal, and the soldiers were beasts, smelling her fear and blood waiting to rip their razor-like teeth through her.

She tried to breathe and turned around, only knocking into someone. She dropped the little girl, which was still crying hysterically. "I'm sorry!" She said, pulling herself up and grabbing the girl again. "Sorry." She told the man, picking her up.

The light girl was now like a million tons. Both of their bodies were shaking, the girls from fear; hers from weakness and the determination to continue on, to get away…

_Keep going, keep going._ She told herself, the little girl slipping from her grasp. She couldn't breathe, but she kept going as long and as fast as she possibly could. She turned back, seeing them farther away but still there. She cried out and dropped to her knees, letting the little girl fall to her bottom on the loose dirt.

Tahmi looked over to her; tears were still rushing from the little girl's eyes. "I'm sorry…" She whispered, the soldiers coming up from behind her.

Her shaking arms were the only things holding her up as she tried to breathe, as she tried to move but she was frozen. Her heart was pounding against the inside of her chest, rattling every single part of her. Pressure was building up on her chest, making it feel like she was going to explode. "God… I'm… Sorry…" She breathed.

The soldiers came up, a sly smile wiped across their faces. "The bitch finally gave up." They laughed, unsheathing their swords. One put his foot on the small of her back and kicked her to the ground. He smiled, putting the blade against the back of her neck.


	2. Chapter 2

Kenshin was on yet another errand to get some groceries from Kaoru. He was almost to the shop when he heard the angry shouting from men in police uniforms. He was about to go find out what was going on when he was slammed into by a woman desperate to run but she'd been injured. She held a small girl no older than Aiami or Suzumi within her arms.

He was about to say something but she started running, he followed her at a slower pace letting the police do their jobs. That was until one of them kicked her to the ground and put a sword to her neck. He walked up casually. "You should leave her alone, that you should."

The men turned to him, "who the hell are you?"

He turned and smiled, "just a concerned bystander, that's all I am."

The lead man shoved him away, "Get outta here!"

Kenshin stood away from the wall, "you'll leave her alone that you will."

His eyes hardened somewhat as the man turned again, "Do you want to fight?"

Kenshin shook his head and smiled, "I'd really rather not if I can avoid it, if I can, so I would like it if you could just leave her alone." One of them launched at him, sword drawn.

Kenshin dodged out of the way and knocked the man out of the way. He was assaulted by yet, another man and he saw the first man dig his sword out of the wall and leaped high in the air. He landed nimble on his feet, the Leader finally pointed his sword towards Kenshin, "Draw your sword."

Kenshin looked at the man calmly, "I decline."

He moved the blade to the woman to sever her head from her shoulder but he found his sword was no longer in his hands.

Kenshin's sword blocked the path of his sword and took a strike at the man knocking him out. He reached down and grabbed her up, "come on, we need to go."

Kenshin arrived at Doctor Gensi's office, "Doctor Gensi! I need your help! "

The elderly Dr. Gensi stepped outside. "Kenshin, what seems to be the problem? Oh, my! Bring her in right away."

Kenshin ran inside and laid her down and walked outside to let Dr Gensi do his work. He sat down and waited.


	3. Chapter 3

Tahmi opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry and distorted, but she could feel someone touching her. She could barely move. "Wh-who are you?"

Dr. Gensi looked down to her while attending to her wounds. "I am Dr. Gensi. You were brought here. Now, stay still. You've lost a lot of blood, you must rest."

She sighed and put her head back down. "The girl…? Where's the girl?" She asked, closing her eyes.

Dr. Gensi sighed, seeing her fall right back into unconsciousness. He cleaned her up, and patched the wound. It wasn't that deep, which it was a good thing. He placed a blanket over her and pushed some of the hair from her face. He frowned, and started heading outside. "Kenshin?" He asked, walking up to where he was sitting. "What happened to this woman? What… Girl, was she speaking of?"

Kenshin stood, "I don't know who she is, she was being attacked by the police, more than that I don't know. As for a girl, I saw nobody. I'll check just watch the woman for now, I'll be back." Kenshin took off at a swift pace back towards the alley, if he had left a young child there he couldn't forgive himself.

He arrived at the alley and saw a young girl partially covered with blood. He walked up to her slowly and picked her unconscious body up and walked back to the hospital. He laid her down on a bed and stood.

He turned around and walked into the room where the woman slept and looked upon her. He turned once again and walked outside, cursing himself for leaving the child.

Tahmi slowly opened her eyes, focusing on the ceiling. She moaned slightly and put her hand to her pounding head. She winced in pain as the numbness went away, being replaced with pain. "Ughn…" She moaned, pushing herself up from the bed. She opened her eyes farther and looked to the left, seeing a man walking from the room. "Hey!" She called after him, her voice raspy and full of pain.

She pushed herself from the bed, holding her shoulder. She started walking towards him, her vision still a little messed up. She almost tripped, her legs buckling underneath of her, but she caught herself on the bed. She laughed slightly, "that would have been bad." She chuckled.

She looked up to the man. "Where am I? What is this place?" She asked.

Kenshin heard the woman stumble around and heard her ask him a question. Kenshin turned and smiled, "You're in a hospital. You should lay back down and rest for awhile that you should." He turned to walk away and said. "Ohh and... The police wont find you here. Of that I am most certain that I am" He smiled and sat down hoping that she would do the same as her wound was somewhat dangerous.

She smiled warmly. "Thank you, sir." She pushed herself back up on the bed and lay on her back, looking up to the sky. She sighed, her smiles quickly fading away into a painful frown. She closed her eyes and tightened them, seeing Allo's anger again. She jumped, her eyes open fully. She put her hand to her shoulder and took a deep breath. "They will not stop…" She told him. "Until they find me… I have done nothing terribly wrong, and they hunt me like a beast."

Kenshin considered the problem, "As soon as you are better, I will take you to a place where you will be safe. If I may ask what is your name?" He was tempted to ask what she had done to warrant her attempted capture but he knew that she would tell him when she was ready. He hoped miss Kaoru would be fine with his decision but she had fine with him helping others before so he doubted it would be a problem. "I believe that so long as we walk slowly we should go now, Dr. Gensai will be visiting us regularly anyway and your bleeding seems to have stopped." He stood up and began to walk.

She looked over to him. "I am Tahmi." She smiled to him slightly and pushed herself up painfully from the bed. "Alright… Thank you very much, Sir. May I ask your name? I would like to know my saviors name…" She smiled, walking next to him slowly and looking into his eyes.

She looked down to the ground beneath her feet and sighed. "I believe you should know now. Since you are helping me, therefore putting yourself in danger. They hunt me not because I have committed a crime, like fraud or murder.. But, I help the ones in need. Even if they a criminal." She sighed. "I help those whom they wish to kill. And now I have become the hunted for doing something I believe is right…"

Kenshin smiled and turned to her as he walked, "My name is Kenshin Himura, and Miss Tahmi, I thank you for your honesty but I believe I am somewhat like you. If someone needs help I will do something if I can. Come, we should go before the sun sets."


	4. Chapter 4

He walked down a back alley and finally reached Kamia dojo. "Miss Tahmi, this is the Kamia dojo; a place where you can rest as long as you need." He walked into the dojo to see the surprised face of Yahico.

He turned and ran up to Kenshin. "Kenshin, whose this?"

Kenshin smiled and said, "Yahico, this is Miss Tahmi. She'll be with us for a while. Why don't you go prepare a futon for her." Yahico nodded and ran back into the house with a grumble.

Kaoru walked out with Sano. "Sano, Karou, this is Miss Tahmi. She'll be staying for a little while, at least until her wound heals." He smiled and started to walk up to the Dojo but was stopped when Kaoru grabbed him by his shirt, and she muttered under her breath, "you always bring girls home! I can't keep taking on these freeloaders! You, Sanoske, and Yahico always take up a ton of food and now…!"

Kenshin smiled and waved his hand in a gesture of surrender, "She's just staying for a little while and she needed help."

Kaoru released him and crossed her arms with a hurumph. Sano snickered, "yeah she needed help! Kenshin, you just wanted to."

Kaoru's face went wide in shock, "SANOSKE!" She picked up a nearby bucket and lobbed it at Sanoske but sure enough it hit Kenshin who went down like a rock and then scuttled away saying, "I have to make supper that I do." He ran off.

Kaoru finally realized that Tahmi was watching all of this. "I'm sorry Miss Tahmi. I know this must seem really odd but its pretty standard. I'll show you to your room and supper will be ready in a few hours." She walked in and down the hall. "I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Karou Kamia. I'm the assistant master of the Kamia dojo. I teach the Kamia Kashine style of swordsmanship. Well here's your room, it's yours as long as you need it." She turned around and walked back down the hallway.

Tahmi smiled. "Thank you Karou. I greatly appreciate it." She looked to the room with a smile and sat down on the bed. These people seemed very nice, she hoped she wouldn't regret coming here. She didn't want anything to happen. She sighed and laid down on the bed, putting her hand over her shoulder. She wondered what had happened to her home, all of her belongings? She looked around and couldn't help but smile. She laughed, seeing Kenshin's face again in her mind. These people were nice, they might have been a little odd. But, who was normal in this day and age?

Kenshin set to work at making dinner even though he never retrieved the ingredients. He had a deeper thought on his mind of how long it would take for the police to come here they knew who he was and where he lived, he only hoped that whoever they sent he could convince to let her go, perhaps he should go talk to the chief of police himself, he knew Kenshin and would most likely listen to him. He watched the fire blaze below the pan. He continued to think on what he should do while the food cooked.

Karou looked at Yahico and stood with her wooden sword at the ready, "Come on Yahico lets spar a little." Yahico smiled and nodded, they began their practice.

Tahmi pushed herself up. She was getting a little tired all alone in her room, a little lonely too. She sighed and walked from the room, walking through the corridor hearing Kaoru's voice. She smiled, seeing Yahico and Kaoru spar. She smiled, watching every move they made. Kaoru was very good, so was Yahico but he was still learning, she guessed. She smiled brightly at them both. "You two are good!" She clapped. "I am happy to be here and watch! Its very entertaining." She laughed.

Hearing her voice, Yahico stopped and recieved a sword to the head for his distraction. "OW! What'd you do that for?"

Kaoru took up an auristicratic pose and smiled, "You have to be ready for an attack at all times. You never know when an attack will come." She giggled and turned to Tahmi. "Miss Tahmi, how are you doing? Feeling better?"

Just then Yahico whacked Kaoru in the back of her head. Kaoru turned around ready to strangle Yahico but she had to laugh at her own mistake so she merely attacked. Yahico, who was still laughing, blocked her strike and they began sparing once more.

Meanwhile, Kenshin was outside cooking and Sano sat nearby. "So Kenshin, why is she really here? If it was just her injury, she could have stayed at Dr. Gensai's. So what's going on?"

Kenshin's face grew somber "She's running from the Police, she apparently runs a safe house for people to stay for the night or two. I don't know much more than that, but she apparently let the wrong person stay because those injuries were caused by the cops as near as I can figure, except the wound in her shoulder... It has an entirely different cut on it than made by police sabers. She was more than likely stabbed by someone who was staying there."

Sano nodded and they cooked dinner in peace. When it was done Kenshin stood and brought the pot in as it was getting dark. "Miss Kaoru, miss Tahmi, Yahico: Supper is ready that it is." Kenshin said with a smile and set it down.

Yahico, of course, began to dig in until Sano flicked him in the face. "Hey you little brat we have a guest. She goes first! You know Yahico, you don't have any manners." Yahico looked away with a quiet apology and waited as paitently as possible.

Tahmi giggled slightly. "Its quite alright." She bowed her head and picked up the sticks and food, putting it to her mouth. Her arm was in a sling, and it was still somewhat painful but she could deal with it. She had dealt with worse. She looked up and smiled to Kenshin and Kaoru. "Thank you for letting me stay here. I appreciate it greatly. Arigatou.." She smiled brightly and took another bite of her meal.


	5. Chapter 5

A group of soldiers made their way through the village, they're eyes scanning over every part of the village. They stopped as the leader threw his hand up in front of Dr. Gensai's clinic. He grinned widely and knocked on the door. "Dr. Gensai? It's the police… May I speak with you…? I just need to ask some questions."

Dr. Gensai was sitting down to dinner with his granddaughters, Ayami and Susume, when he heard the knock on the door. He stood and opened it, "Hello may I ask your name?"

The Policeman bowed respectfully. "Yes of course, I am captain Mokoto and were investigating an event that occured today. Did a Mister Kenshin Himura come to your clinic today, perhaps with an injured woman?"

Dr. Gensi considered what to do but they probably already knew so he said, "Yes they did but he and the girl left shortly after and I don't really know where they went. I'm sorry but that's all I know." The policemen nodded and turned around, "thank you good day." He started walking towards the Kamia residence.

Kenshin noticed Tahmi was in pain. "Is the food not good, miss Tahmi?" He sensed someone at the door and stood up, "I believe were about to have visitor's, Miss Tahmi please stay here and do not leave this room." picking up his sword he left tyhe room to go investigate he arived at the door just as it opened, he saw several police none of them he knew, "May i help you?" "Wheres Tahmi?" Kenshin tried to buy a little time hoping that sano would know what to do. "im sor..." but before he could finish his sentance he was shoved away and the police flooded in and started to rush to the dojo, "Sano!" Kenshin said and hoped it would work. he stood and ran to the dojo as well." Sano hearing the police and then Kenshin yelling was all sano needed, "Come on Tahmi lets go!" he opened up a door and ran out into the hallway "Come on!" he started running behind her.

Tahmi threw herself up and started running as fast as she could. "What.. about.. Kenshin?" She asked, looking back. Her shoulder was throbbing and her heart was pounding. She ran throughout the corridor and back outside, falling on the steps. The bandages were spotted red. "They won't stop!" She yelled, throwing herself up and facing the dojo. "Kenshin?" She yelled.

Kenshin stood between them his face stern and eyes cold his demenor changed, the policeman looked to him, "Moove" Kenshin shook his head, "No, you will leave and i will accompany you, you will take me to the police cheif and we will discuss it, if he still feels the need to arest her i will not stop you." The man concidred it for a moment before nodding, "fine! you two arrest him. We'll take you to the chief but you will travel restrained." Kenshin nodded and was kicked to the ground and handcuffed and dragged off, "Miss Karou Yahico Sano watch over Miss Tahmi and get Dr Gensai or Magumi over here to treat her wounds." that was all he could say as he was thrown roughly into the carrage. and it rolled away from the dojo.

Tahmi's eyes weld up with tears. "No!" She yelled, reaching for the carriage as it rolled away. "Kenshin!" She screamed, dropping to the ground holding her shoulder, wincing in pain. "I didn't want.. this to happen. Now… Now, he…" She let her head droop. She pushed herself up from the ground and looked up to see the carriage getting farther and farther away. "He shouldn't of done that…" She whispered. She raised her hand from her shoulder, her palm stained with blood. She closed her eyes. "I need… I need to go to the.. Police station. I need to turn myself in. I.. don't want anything happening to him, because of me."

Magumi rounded the corner and was nearly run over by a carrage she saw kenshin in the carrage but it was a police carrage and he was in handcuffs, what was going on? whe entered the open door and saw a bleeding woman calling Kenshin's name, "What is going on here?" She ran to the woman's side, "Yahico, clean watter Sanoske some bandages, She could see the concern in the womans face, "Relax im a doctor youll be fine." Karou nervously re told the story while Megumi got the wound to stop bleeding, "Ohh is that all it is? then why did they put sir ken in restraints? " she pondered over it while telling sano to move her inside and ordering Miss Karou to prepare a footon but she apearantly already was using the spare room, after everyone left she started to work on resewing the wound and said, "Tahmi right? well Tahmi i dont think you have to much to worrty about, Kenshin's more capeable than he looks besides he has an understanding with the Chief of Police, I used to work for a man known as Konreu Takata, not of my free will but still i worked for him and i was forced to make opiem, after Kenshin rescued me there were of course police on the scene, Kenshin convinced him to let me go even though i was guilty of making opem and a few other things so im sure he'll be fine, now you get some rest and take it easy ok? " she stood up and left the room letting her get some sleep.

Tahmi looked to the woman and nodded. "A-alright." She gave a fake smile as she left the room and turned to her side, holding the other close to her chest. She couldn't help but worry. She knew how the police were. She witnessed what they could do throughout her life. She gulped loudly and tried to get the thoughts out of her head. She clenched her fist and laid her head down on the pillow. She wanted to go up there, and get him out of that place. She didn't want anything to happen, her heart pounded loudly through her chest rattling away at her insides. "God.. I hope he's alright." She whispered quietly.


End file.
